For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Shomolekae.

Making headlines: Ramaphosa optimistic National Dialogue steering committee appointments will eliminate disruptions; DA, ActionSA want answers on delayed crime stats; And, mourners injured in stampede at state funeral for Kenyan opposition leader Odinga

Ramaphosa optimistic National Dialogue steering committee appointments will eliminate disruptions

President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed confidence with the establishment of the National Dialogue steering committee and assured that there will be no disruption in the processes to follow.

He explained that the National Dialogue process had reached a “pivotal stage” with the completion of the nomination of sectoral representatives to the National Dialogue steering committee.

However, he said work was underway to establish a fully-fledged National Dialogue secretariat, housed at the National Economic Development and Labour Council, which he said would provide institutional support to the process.

Once approved by the President, the National Dialogue steering committee will coordinate the roll-out of public dialogues across the country. It is expected that the process of appointing the steering committee will be concluded in the coming weeks.

The first sitting of precursor to the National Dialogue, the National Convention, held in August, in Pretoria, got off to a rocky start with some legacy foundations and political parties withdrawing from the National Dialogue Preparatory Task Team.

Ramaphosa noted, however, that the first National Convention approved the mandate, responsibilities and composition of the National Dialogue steering committee, and agreed that each of the identified sectors would hold consultations to decide on nominees to serve on the steering committee and its subcommittees.

DA, ActionSA want answers on delayed crime stats

The Democratic Alliance said the latest postponement of the release of the first quarter crime statistics are “unacceptable and deeply troubling”, adding that it will write to Acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia again to ask for the release date.

Meanwhile, ActionSA has called for the immediate release of the statistics and an explanation for the delay.

The crime statistics for the Q1 were due at end of August, the same period in which the South African Police Service released last year’s data.

The DA said the figures are already seven weeks overdue, and said the lack of timeframe for its release is “indefensible”.

The party said the Saps’ and Cachalia’s silence on the matter is “growing louder by the day”.

Meanwhile ActionSA wants strong parliamentary oversight to ensure that those responsible for these recurring failures are held accountable.

And, mourners injured in stampede at state funeral for Kenyan opposition leader Odinga

A number of mourners were injured in a stampede at the state funeral of Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga today as a crowd surged to view his body, local broadcaster NTV reported, with thousands attending the tribute.

Odinga commanded a passionate following in the East African nation and his memorial ceremonies have attracted huge crowds. Three people shot dead by security forces a day earlier when mourners breached a gate of the stadium hosting a public viewing of his body.

Odinga, a major figure for decades in Kenyan politics who was once a political prisoner and ran unsuccessfully for president five times, died on Wednesday, aged 80 in India, where he had been receiving medical treatment.

Kenyan authorities had deployed heavy security today, with police keeping crowds at a distance, footage from local television and President William Ruto's office showed.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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